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Student hockey players face-off for a good cause. (L to R: Charles Amodeo, Jesse Sharp, Joe Garnett, Terry Nabuurs, Brendan Crossman)

The skates are sharpened. The sticks are taped. All that鈥檚 left to do is hit the ice鈥�and, of course, count the money raised for a great cause.

It鈥檚 鈥済ame on鈥� this Saturday for the yearly Residence Charity Face-Off hockey showdown, which pits Dalhousie鈥檚 residences against each other in spirited competition to raise money for the IWK Health Centre Foundation. Last year, by selling game tickets and organizing pre-game fundraising events, students collected $20,000 for the foundation. That鈥檚 a big number, but it鈥檚 one they鈥檇 like to better this year with the support of the Dal community.

鈥淭o me, it鈥檚 THE biggest event at Dal,鈥� says student Brendan Crossman, who will play on Saturday for the BigHorns. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing else like it. Seeing that many people together for one cause and raising that much money and energy is the best feeling.鈥�

The game involves nearly all residences on campus: Howe Hall, Mini-Rez, Gerard and O鈥橞rien unite under the orange Trojans banner, while Risley, Shirreff and Eliza Ritchie dress as the BigHorns in red. It鈥檚 been a long road to get to the game, from team tryouts in the fall to practices in the winter, with fundraising efforts all the while 鈥� including bottle drives, candygrams and聽player auctions. But with the final preparations out of the way, it鈥檚 expected that a sea of red and orange will flood Memorial Arena on Saturday and cheer on the teams.

For the players, the competition is serious and the spirit intense.

鈥淔rom a hockey standpoint, it can get pretty competitive,鈥� says Charles Amodeo, who will suit up for the Trojans. 鈥淲hen you put on the skates, you obviously want to win鈥�that said, I don鈥檛 know if I鈥檇 be involved in the same way if it wasn鈥檛 for the cause.鈥�

Joe Garnett, one of the student coaches for the Trojans, echoes that sentiment. 鈥淭he game鈥檚 really about helping out in the community where we live for eight months of the year,鈥� he says. 鈥淲in or lose, we鈥檙e all winners. That鈥檚 what鈥檚 great about it.鈥�

All the players are hoping for a close, hard-fought contest; the winning team has switched back-and-forth the past three years. And both teams sound confident heading into Saturday.

鈥淚鈥檝e never been on a team as tight as this one. We鈥檙e ready,鈥� says player Terry Nabuurs of the BigHorns. As for the Trojans, coach Jesse Sharp says, 鈥淭his team鈥檚 got a lot of heart. They鈥檝e really coming together, on the ice and off.鈥�

All that鈥檚 left, then, are the spoils.